What do the Caps need in order to get to the next level?

[Creativero]

I think faster D would be a good starting point.

 

[Elganja]

holtby is the issue this year IMHO ... he has not played well enough

in regard what to do, blow it up... OV and backstrom should be traded while they have some value left, think ala trading Bondra back in the day

 

[Electricity]

He sold/sells a lot of tickets and jerseys.
Leonsis enabled and encouraged that behavior in the early years and his directives trickled down to management and coaching.

At some point, when winning a Stanley Cup became a real objective, (because Crosby and Malkin had won one) it was pretty much too late. Ovechkin wasn't a kid anymore. No coach could tell him to change his ways because he was already set in them.

So Leonsis, never really wanting to alienate OV, (hence the fired coaches who wanted OV to play actual defense) decided that the best bet was to just stack the team so much in OV's favor that it would be almost impossible to lose. It was all supposed to take care of itself.

It never did because a modern NHL team can't have a lazy Brett Hull making 10 millions dollars a year as it's captain, and expect to win.

Something went awry somewhere over the years, and there's plenty of blame to be laid. I blame the owner as much as I blame AO and his agent/mgmt team.

When coach after coach after coach comes in and basically says AO is the problem here and he needs to be 'fixed', and then those coaches are shown the door, that's when it becomes AO's team. A still-broken AO's team. And these are the results.

Like you wrote, AO was kept on to sell jerseys and to make the Capitals a 'brand', but it was at the expense of everything championship hockey stands for.

He still has time to mature, but will he? And will he be a Cap?

 

[harmonica]

Yeah, Malkin's never been great defensively but at least he's a dirty player with emotions and a will to win.

Malkin has and can be great at D. At times that goes out the window, but he definitely has it in him to play a spectacular 200 foot game.

 

[SirKillalot]

When coach after coach after coach comes in and basically says AO is the problem here and he needs to be 'fixed', and then those coaches are shown the door, that's when it becomes AO's team. A still-broken AO's team. And these are the results.

Like you wrote, AO was kept on to sell jerseys and to make the Capitals a 'brand', but it was at the expense of everything championship hockey stands for.

He still has time to mature, but will he? And will he be a Cap?

Are you making stuff up? Or is there actual evidence in forms of statements from these coaches saying AO is "a problem"? I've never heard that. I mean, there have been media stuff, where people in the media have talked about some of his "escapades" because he's not that shy in the corner low key kind of guy, but I've never heard anyone say anything about the lack of leadership or being serious when it comes to the game.

The same with Kessel, it was one thing at some point and that seemed to stick with him for years even though there was no truth to it anymore (if there ever was).

 

[Rectify]

The Capitals are still in the playoffs this year, they win three games in a row and this thread looks a bit silly. Completely possible.

 

[TheMule93]

They need 05-10 ovi, who was a game breaker

 

[pokey10]

No they didn't. They need to go full Penguin/Oiler and tank for like four straight seasons.

You already tried that, next?

 

[kihei]

"Heart" has got to be the most glib, superficial response imaginable.

They need a goalie that shows up in the playoffs and a defense that must become a lot quicker and a lot faster than it is.

 

[pokey10]

The Capitals are still in the playoffs this year, they win three games in a row and this thread looks a bit silly. Completely possible.

Its quite ridiculous. Its not over.

 

[Hank Plank]

The Capitals are still in the playoffs this year, they win three games in a row and this thread looks a bit silly. Completely possible.

Exactly.

 

[NewFang]

Rebuild

What does this even mean other than trading OV.

I think it comes down to trading OV or keep riding that horse.

 

[pokey10]

Did I say the fans wanted it? The fans aren't the franchise. No one is bitter.

If you bring up something thats over a decade and a half old, then yes. Thats being bitter. Our team didnt have the money yours did. But yours sucked just as much as our, same as Chicago. Who of those three dont belong 15 years later?

 

[Extra Texture]

The year before the lockout was a half year of bad after the team couldn't gel and management decided to blow it up. The year after the lockout was a bad team. They made the playoffs the following year. A year and a half that would've been two and a half if not for the lockout. Your franchise deserves every bit of scorn it gets from literally every other franchise except the Oilers.

That's a lie, you finished 14th in the east the following year (2006-2007). Another top pick (Alzner)

By your stupid definition, you tanked hard. You blew your lousy, mediocre team up, got 3 top 5 picks in 4 seasons (would have been four, had it not been for the lockout and you winning the draft). 2004, 2006 and 2007 (the year the Pens actually made the playoffs) your team, which had no ownership issues and had no question over its future, deliberately iced a bad team to get high draft picks. And it worked, because you got good. But clearly not good enough

Own that ****. Trying to talk about how righteous you are compared to the Pens is absolutely ****ing pathetic.

 

[ColePens]

I'll go with "youth". Youthful speedy players who play desperate in the bottom 6. I think that's always a difference.

 

[thisisverypainful]

Edmonton didn't make the playoffs for like 10 seasons.

He said good teams.

 

[Stew17]

Apparently play Ovi on the third line?

 

[Internet Explorer]

Put two in the net in the first five minutes of game 5.

 

[theD86]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...tices-with-third-line/?utm_term=.44df4fb222d5

 

[Ryan Michaels]

Nicklas Backstrom is too busy being underrated to not **** the bed every year, he's tried this new thing this year where he's fine but this isn't a top line center on a cup winning team. D is over-rated; Carlson by casual fans niskanen by corsi fans. Ovie is just ****ing depressing one trick pony now that isn't even that good at that one trick this year, I mean I know production trumps all but even with his rockets he hasn't been close to a top player in the world for 5 years. And he has consistently underwhelmed in the playoffs; remember that game against the Rangers he guaranteed a win? He potted what I think was their only goal in a losing effort but if you watched the game he was terrible.

I mean I'm still pulling for the caps to the degree that I do every year to see ovie get the cup but it's no longer about seeing ovie get the cup he deserves, because frankly he doesn't, such a frustrating team to root for. And yes holtby hasn't stood on his head for the first time and the bottom 6 suck but the big boys who suck annually deserve the blame.

 

[who_me?]

Apparently play Ovi on the third line?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...tices-with-third-line/?utm_term=.44df4fb222d5

Ovechkin now on the "energy " line.

Watch for Ovechkin to start looking to injure Pens players. Vintage Ovechkin.

 

[HOUSUTON]

score more goals (Ovi)

 

[Riptide]

"Heart" has got to be the most glib, superficial response imaginable.

They need a goalie that shows up in the playoffs and a defense that must become a lot quicker and a lot faster than it is.

IT would probably help if 5 of their 6 highest paid forwards could combine for more than 1 goal in 4 games.

 

[BMOK33]

It may just be a mental team makeup thing. The chemistry may just not be there for playoff style hockey and that's not really an easy change to make. I'm inclined to say the Caps are overall better positioned for the next 2-3 years than the Pens or Rangers are, so maybe it clicks here soon. I really think their window is about 3 more years because the Jackets/Flyers/Canes may be coming

 

[AjaxTelamon]

A prime Ovechkin plus a supporting cast. Right now, the supporting cast is fine, but Ovy is well past his prime. Niskanen was a good signing for them, but Orpik was an awful one. The way the league is going, having a pilon back there who can't move the puck for that cap hit is a killer.

Plus, who is the net front on that team? You have nice point shot D men, but no really good net front guy.